But, we may gaze on Bernard Belgrave as he emerges from the room where his sun has set to rise no more.  His eyes flash, his nostrils dilate, his bosom heaves, he lifts his proud head and turns his face so that the light of the sky may fall full upon it.

And lifting up his hands, trembling with emotion as though supplicating for the strength of a god, he cries out; “By the eternal heavens these abominable horrors shall cease.  The races, whose union has been fraught with every curse known to earth and hell, must separate.  Viola demands it and Bernard obeys.”  It was this that sent him forth to where kings were eager to court his favor.

CHAPTER XV.

Weighty matters.

With his hands thrust into his pockets, and his hat pulled over his grief stricken eyes, Bernard slowly wended his way to his boarding place.

He locked himself in his room and denied himself to all callers.  He paced to and fro, his heart a cataract of violent, tossing, whirling emotions.  He sat down and leaned his head upon the bed, pressing his hand to his forehead as if to restore order there.  While thus employed his landlady knocked at the door and called through the key hole, informing him that there was a telegram for him.  Bernard arose, came out, signed for and received the telegram, tore it open and read as follows: 

  Waco, Texas, ——­l8——­

    “Hon.  Bernard Belgrave, M.C.,

    “Come to Waco at once.  If you fail to come you will make the
    mistake of your life.  Come.

  “Belton Piedmont.”

“Yes, I’ll go,” shouted Bernard, “anywhere, for anything.”  He seemed to feel grateful for something to divert his thoughts and call him away from the scene where his hopes had died.  He sent Viola’s family a note truthfully stating that he was unequal to the task of attending Viola’s funeral, and that for his part she was not dead and never should be.  The parents had read Bernard’s letter left by Viola and knew the whole story.  They, too, felt that it was best for Bernard to go.  Bernard took the train that afternoon and after a journey of four days arrived at Waco.

Belton being apprised by telegram of the hour of his arrival, was at the station to meet him.  Belton was actually shocked at the haggard appearance of his old play-fellow.  It was such a contrast from the brilliant, glowing, handsome Bernard of former days.

After the exchange of greetings, they entered a carriage and drove through the city.  They passed out, leaving the city behind.  After going about five miles, they came in sight of a high stone wall enclosure.  In the middle of the enclosed place, upon a slight elevation, stood a building four stories high and about two hundred feet long and one hundred and eighty feet wide.  In the center of the front side arose a round tower, half of it bulging out.  This extended from the ground to a point about twenty feet above the roof of the building.  The entrance to the building was through a wide door in this tower.  Off a few paces was a small white cottage.  Here and there trees abounded in patches in the enclosure, which seemed to comprise about twenty acres.